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Wear a Mask #masks4all
The scientific evidence is overwhelming that we can reduce virus transmission with homemade masks. Please protect yourself and others by wearing a homemade mask in public and asking that others do the same!
Everyone Should Wear a Mask
The #Masks4All movement was started as a grassroots movement in the Czech Republic. In a matter of 3 days, almost 100% of citizens were wearing homemade masks.
The rise of #Masks4All led the Czech Republic government to make it mandatory for citizens to wear masks in public.
“Wearing a simple cloth mask, decreases the spread of the virus by 80%! Czech Republic has made it OBLIGATORY for its citizens to wear a mask in public.” — Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
In terms of mask wearing, much of the world is now following the example set by China, Taiwan and South Korea. On [30th March], Austria mandated its citizens wear masks when outside the home, after the Czech Republic [18th March] and Slovakia issued similar mask wearing in public orders. The results are obvious. Sweden has no lockdown / stay-at-home orders! Czechia [20th April] and Austria [14th April], have started to open business activities with a strict mask wearing mandate — and no big rise in infections is evident. On 15th April 2020, millions of people across South Korea donned face masks, rubber gloves, and hand sanitizer to cast their votes in a nationwide election — no rise in infections!
The #Masks4All Campaign is Going Global
Notably, the Covid-19 Pandemic is a PANDEMIC — and the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus is everywhere! All we can do now is flatten the curve so that hospital systems are not overwhelmed, and protect the more vulnerable citizens from getting sick while we wait for a medical solution. The long-term flattening of the curve through simple physical distancing has been the goal of many countries that have taken the ‘herd immunity’ approach [Sweden].
Although simple physical distancing practices have have had some effect in flattening the curve, they have not been able to reduce the infection / transmission rate (R0) enough to prevent an exponential growth in infections. Other infection prevention measures are thus needed to turn system-overwhelming exponential growth into a more manageable level of infections / hospitalisations.
Fortunately, increasing evidence of the effectiveness of simple homemade mask wearing is coming out in these ‘early’ days of the Covid-19 Pandemic which is expected to last at least 18 months to 3 years. Mask wearing is especially effective when practiced together with physical distancing. Go to Twitter :: #masks4all for more updates on this growing debate.
From anecdotal evidence, wearing face masks in public is an intervention that is effective enough to warrant universal application, and it is a measure that would be gladly accepted by most people especially if it meant that life could return to a semblance of normal.
In analysing the many measures taken by governments across the world, we have outlined the best 12 Habitual Covid-19 Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) that we should all practice as a community / society to beat Covid-19. Wearing masks in public is a key habitual intervention that has become ingrained in the culture of many Asian countries especially since the SARS Pandemic. Maybe it is time that it becomes part of our global culture!
Over two weeks after South Korea held elections and there is no spike in infections — is this proof enough? Read the following article to find out more: On 15th April 2020, South Korea held elections. This is what democracy can look like in a pandemic.
The SCIENCE:
COVID-19: WHY WE SHOULD ALL WEAR MASKS — THERE IS NEW SCIENTIFIC RATIONALE
The scientific, government, and health consensus is clear: masks limit the spread of COVID-19
These governments and publications agree: the United States, China, Japan, France, India, South Korea, Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, Israel, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Austria, Bosnia, Mongolia, Taiwan, Colombia, Philippines, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Cuba, Turkey, Chile, Malaysia, Poland, Ecuador, Singapore, Morocco, Kenya, Venezuela, Honduras, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Benin, Cyprus, CNN, Time Magazine, ABC, Vox, Wired, the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Fox News, National Review, Medscape, South Africa, and many more.
These governments have made face masks mandatory in public: Indonesia, Israel, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Austria, Bosnia, Mongolia, Taiwan, Colombia, Poland, Philippines, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Vietnam, Cuba, Morocco, Turkey, Kenya, Ecuador, Chile, Venezuela, Honduras, Benin, Parts of China, Parts of USA, Parts of Russia, Parts of Germany, Parts of India, Parts of France, Parts of Italy, Parts of Cameroon.
“The big mistake in the U.S. and Europe, in my opinion, is that people aren’t wearing masks. This virus is transmitted by droplets and close contact. Droplets play a very important role—you’ve got to wear a mask, because when you speak, there are always droplets coming out of your mouth. Many people have asymptomatic or presymptomatic infections. If they are wearing face masks, it can prevent droplets that carry the virus from escaping and infecting others.” — China’s CDC Director
In Addition to Wearing Masks …
We are sure that you are now convinced that wearing a mask in public is essential. So what else can we do? We have compiled a list of the most common personal and community level Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) that ordinary people can help implement in their neighbourhood. These interventions can be implemented anywhere in the world — from crowded informal townships, shanty towns, slums, favelas, etc. to exclusive neighbourhoods.
CDC Guides
Prevent Getting Sick (Covid-19)
Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs)
Volunteer to the United Against Covid-19 Initiative
We must rise and face the environmental challenges of our time by reversing the economic, physical and social decline of places. This can be achieved by the practice of regenerative restoration of degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action.
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